Meet the 2026 Inquiry Work Contest winners
Teachers across the country shared inquiry work from their classrooms this fall, from anchor charts and student work to classroom video. Thank you to every teacher who entered. These are the classrooms that stood out.
Students doing the thinking
Entries were scored on how clearly the work shows students investigating a question, building evidence and sharing their own thinking.
Telling the story of 6th grade through cave art
The Human Story
After studying early humans and the stories artifacts can tell, 6th graders created their own Paleolithic cave art. Using four symbols and no words, each student answered the question "What story would you tell?" Then they switched roles, analyzed the art as archaeologists and wrote museum placards to explain it. The finished pieces came together on a simulated cave wall that tells the story of 6th grade.
Sorting artifacts to uncover their stories
Native America
5th graders spent this inquiry investigating what artifacts can tell us and who they belong to. In the video, students work together to sort artifacts from Native American cultures into categories they came up with on their own, including materials, how items were used, time frame, tribe and how items were made. They then took a position on whether artifacts should be kept in museums or returned to their cultures of origin and wrote out their claims and reasoning, shown in the photo.
Interviewing the grown-ups who help our school
Navigating School
Kindergartners brainstormed the grown-ups who help at school and voted to interview their custodian. With teacher support, they wrote questions to learn about his role and his life outside of work, then illustrated and labeled what they learned.
A layer cake for a healthy democracy
Rights and Responsibilities
3rd graders designed a layer cake to show their audience how people can take part in a democracy. They decided which layer should support the ones above it, from knowing how government works and using your rights to staying informed, volunteering and voting.
Comic strips on the Agricultural Revolution
The Human Story
6th graders created two-part comic strips about the Agricultural Revolution. First, they illustrated the changes it brought, like farming in place of hunting and gathering and people taking on different jobs. Then they showed the impact on daily life and weighed the tradeoffs, such as a steadier food supply against crop failures and disease from domesticated animals.
More standout classrooms
These classrooms will also be featured in this year's showcase.
Star student bookmarks
My Team and Self
Students designed bookmarks about being a star student, and the winning designs are printed in color and handed out with library books.
A colonial regions quilt
The Colonial Era
Students researched how culture, geography and economics shaped each colonial region, then designed quilt blocks based on historical regional patterns that came together as a bulletin-board-sized quilt.
Native America inquiry wall
Native America
Students turned their research into large posters connected to each region on a hallway map that families explored during conferences.
Mapping a community's needs and wants
Meeting Needs and Wants
Students built a class community called Sunset California and created a word splash connecting their vocabulary, with many placing scarcity at the center.
Vocabulary anchor chart challenge
Natural Resources of the U.S.
Students reviewed unit vocabulary by racing to place each term on the correct anchor chart.
Student Works
Explore examples from the Inquiry Work Gallery.
Click on a thumbnail below to expand and view more images.
This is an end of unit project for the Colonial America unit. Students chose an important event or aspect of colonial America and illustrated (in medium of their choice) and wrote a caption with the perspective of all groups that we learned about on the chosen event or aspect.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Final Product
This is an end of unit project for the Colonial America unit. Students chose an important event or aspect of colonial America and illustrated (in medium of their choice) and wrote a caption with the perspective of all groups that we learned about on the chosen event or aspect.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
My students' study on the Three Branches of Government, their rights and responsibilities at home and at school, and a project that connected to Black History Month were all placed on our Inquiry wall. Throughout the lessons, the students have been extremely engaged and have had meaningful conversations. They are starting to identify the patterns of injustice that people encountered during this period and draw connection between significant events. As students investigate how people collaborated to bring about change, their empathy and comprehension have grown, which has been encouraging.
The 20th Century Civil Rights Movement
3rd Grade
Wall Display
My students' study on the Three Branches of Government, their rights and responsibilities at home and at school, and a project that connected to Black History Month were all placed on our Inquiry wall. Throughout the lessons, the students have been extremely engaged and have had meaningful conversations. They are starting to identify the patterns of injustice that people encountered during this period and draw connection between significant events. As students investigate how people collaborated to bring about change, their empathy and comprehension have grown, which has been encouraging.
Additional Info
Gloria Navarrete Rodriguez from dpsk12.net: CO, 3rd Grade
Students created a Family Mobile to represent the members of their family.
Families Near and Far
1st Grade
Final Product
Students created a Family Mobile to represent the members of their family.
Additional Info
Emily Hagan from , 1st Grade
These were in class worksheets and one exit ticket. The students are enjoying this unit.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Handout
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These were in class worksheets and one exit ticket. The students are enjoying this unit.
Additional Info
JENNIFER Baker from dpsk12.net: CO, 5th Grade
We are piloting InquirED in my school district, and my partner and I are really enjoying this curriculum. We can't wait to share our positive feedback with other teachers in the district.
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Wall Display
We are piloting InquirED in my school district, and my partner and I are really enjoying this curriculum. We can't wait to share our positive feedback with other teachers in the district.
Additional Info
from , 5th Grade
These murals were the result of the inquiry challenge statement: We will create a mural for our school community in order to inspire them to be kind
Meeting Needs and Wants
2nd Grade
Final Product
These murals were the result of the inquiry challenge statement: We will create a mural for our school community in order to inspire them to be kind
Additional Info
Kathryn Nish from Pilgrim School: CA, 2nd Grade
Infograph project on Canva.......half the class studied Plymouth and half the class studied Jamestown!
The Colonial Era
5th Grade
Wall Display
Infograph project on Canva.......half the class studied Plymouth and half the class studied Jamestown!
Additional Info
Melinda Sorensen from Frederic Schools: WI, 5th Grade
They are examining the entry to Ellis Island!
My Team and Self
3rd Grade
Other
They are examining the entry to Ellis Island!
Additional Info
Yolanda Lee from San Francisco Unified School District: CA, 3rd Grade
Estamos trabajando en la unidad de territorio a Estado Dorado.
Our State and Region
4th Grade
Anchor Chart
Estamos trabajando en la unidad de territorio a Estado Dorado.
Additional Info
Olga Velasco from Rio School District: CA, 4th Grade
These pictures show different reflection cards that students completed with our essential question of "How can we help tell the story of our state?" Additionally, we explored the question of "How is the struggle for freedom a part of our story?" We pushed to model and simplify these questions being asked via discussion so that their cards had a clear connection. Students did have the freedom, however, to choose from various historical events.
Our State and Region
4th Grade
Handout
These pictures show different reflection cards that students completed with our essential question of "How can we help tell the story of our state?" Additionally, we explored the question of "How is the struggle for freedom a part of our story?" We pushed to model and simplify these questions being asked via discussion so that their cards had a clear connection. Students did have the freedom, however, to choose from various historical events.
Additional Info
Paul Han from Next Generation School: IL, 4th Grade
I teach 4 sections of 5th grade Social Studies and this is my first year in this position. Although higher order thinking can be a challenge, my students have accepted the challenge and continue to show me how effective and engaging the inquirED curriculum is. I enjoy looking back at the students' initial understanding at the beginning of each module compared to how much their thinking has grown in a few days or by the assessment checkpoints.
Native America
5th Grade
Handout
I teach 4 sections of 5th grade Social Studies and this is my first year in this position. Although higher order thinking can be a challenge, my students have accepted the challenge and continue to show me how effective and engaging the inquirED curriculum is. I enjoy looking back at the students' initial understanding at the beginning of each module compared to how much their thinking has grown in a few days or by the assessment checkpoints.
Additional Info
Karlie Goldstine from Allamakee Community School District: IA, 5th Grade
The inquiry unit on My Team and Self gave students the opportunity to notice their own strengths before sharing a classmate's strenghts. Together they celebrated eachother and learned all about the importance of teamwork.
My Team and Self
Kindergarten
Handout
The inquiry unit on My Team and Self gave students the opportunity to notice their own strengths before sharing a classmate's strenghts. Together they celebrated eachother and learned all about the importance of teamwork.
Additional Info
Mamie Pepper from Alta Vista School: CA, Kindergarten
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